India blocks China’s WTO panel bid over solar support measures, dispute set for next stage

India has blocked China’s request to establish a dispute settlement panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a case challenging New Delhi’s support measures for the solar cells, modules and information technology sectors, PTI reported.China had earlier this month approached the WTO’s dispute settlement body seeking the formation of a panel after bilateral consultations…

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US stock markets today (May 22, 2026): Wall Street gains as bond market pressure eases, S&P eyes eighth straight winning week

US stocks moved higher on Friday, putting Wall Street on course for an eighth consecutive weekly gain as easing pressure from the bond market lifted investor sentiment, AP reported.The S&P 500 rose 0.6 per cent and moved closer to the all-time high it touched last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 307 points, or…

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Bank strike called off: SBI staff union defers May 25-26 protest, branches to function normally

State Bank of India (SBI) branches will function normally on May 25 and 26 after the proposed two-day nationwide strike by employees was deferred following discussions between bank management and union representatives, PTI reported.SBI, in a customer advisory, said the proposed strike by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) had been…

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India’s tryst with oil shocks: How crude prices shaped economy and policy in last five decades

Every major oil shock has left a mark on India, sometimes through inflation, sometimes through foreign exchange pressure, and occasionally through wider economic change. The country’s 1991 balance-of-payments crisis unfolded against a backdrop of rising oil prices. High crude costs later pushed difficult conversations around subsidies, fuel deregulation and energy security. More recently, shifts in…

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Khosla and Desai come to the Musk-Altman party

Vinod Khosla; Anand Desai TOI correspondent from Washington: If the dotcom era gave investors dreams of effortless millions and the crypto boom offered visions of digital billions, the coming IPOs of SpaceX and OpenAI – likely in June and September respectively – promise something more intoxicating: trillion-dollar fantasies wrapped in Silicon Valley superlatives. One company…

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Will the US Federal Reserve hike rates again? Governor Chris Waller joins hawkish camp

US Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller has joined a growing group of policymakers calling for the central bank to signal that its next move may not necessarily be an interest rate cut as inflation pressures remain elevated, AFP reported.The comments come as the US economy continues to grapple with stubborn price pressures, with consumer inflation…

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AIIB launches $10 billion support facility for countries hit by Middle East conflict, India among key shareholders

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has launched a $10 billion fund facility to support member countries affected by the economic fallout of the ongoing Middle East conflict, PTI reported. India is the second-largest shareholder in the China-led multilateral lender after China.The Beijing-headquartered bank said the newly launched Energy, Food Security and Economic Resilience Facility…

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RBI announces record Rs 2.87 lakh crore dividend payout to Centre, surplus transfer rises again

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced a record dividend payout of Rs 2.87 lakh crore to the government for FY26, providing additional fiscal space amid evolving global and geopolitical challenges, PTI reported. The decision on the surplus transfer was taken at the 623rd meeting of the RBI Central Board of Directors chaired…

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